Improvement in stirrups and their covers



PATENTED DEG. 17,1861.

R. N. EAGLE. STIRRUP AND ITSGOVER.

B SHEETS-SHEET 1.

m: NORRIS PETERS co. momumo WASHINGT No. 33.930. v PATENTED DEG.17,1861.

R. N. EAGLE.

' 'STIRRUP AND ITS COVER.

fiii'nesses,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT N. EAGLE, OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY.

IMPROVEMENT IN STIRRUPS AND THEIR COVERS.

To all whom it nmy concern.-

Be it known that LROBERT N. EAGLE, -of the United States Army, haveinvented cer- -tain new and useful Improvements in Riding- Stirrups andthe Covers for Same; and I do hereby declare that the following is afull.

and exact description of the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, making partof this specification.

This invention consists in, first, so con structing the. stirrup as to.bring the point of suspension inside or toward the horse from a"ert-ical line, which is drawn from near the center of and at rightangles to the tread, so

as'to incline the tread of the stirrup inwardand upward toward thehorse, thereby throwing the foot ofthe rider involuntarily into thecorrect position and assisting the natural curvature of the leg toembrace the body of the horse; second, in. making this inclinationadjustable, so as to suit the various circumstances under which it maybe used and the riders using it; third, the peculiar manner ofconstructing the eye and its parts and connecting them to the body ofthe stirrup, so as to give said stirrup such an angular positionhorizontally and with reference to the body of the horse as to give aready entrance to the foot Without twisting the stirrup-leather and atthe same time permit the easy movements of the foot in the properdirections; fourth, hanging the stirrup upon the horizontal or nearlyhorizontal axis which passes angularly over the tread in the directionof a line drawn horizontally from the .littletoe to the instep, as setforth; fifth, the arrangement of the sides or arms in the construct-ionof the stirrup,'said sides or arms being carried up in a spiraldirection from their base, the outer arm (the longest) being thrownforward with its upper extremity turned inward and toward the rear andthe inner arm brought backward with its upper extremity turned inwardand toward the front, in the manner and for the purposes hereinafter,more fully described; sixth, constructing the tread of the stirrup withan irregular concavity, so as to conform to the natural convexity of theboot when the foot is bent, the margin of the base of the tread at thegreat toe being higher relatively than the base at the entrance, whilethe base at the little toe is the most elevated,

as and for the purposes hereinafter described;

- seventh, the cover for the stirrup hereinafter described, said coverbeing made of one piece of leather, as described and shown, or itsequivalent-such as rubber cloth, canvas,- &c.-the lower portion beingturned inward from the bottom to cover the tread and sides to protectthe foot from the weather and the boot from wear or from being passedtoo far forward through the stirrup. In the drawings, Figure l is a backelevation of the right-foot stirrup with the leather cover attached;Fig. 2, a vertical section of same longitudinally through the axis andin the central line of suspension; Fig. 3, a side elevation ofsame; Fig.a, a perspective View of skeleton stirrup for the left foot. Figs. 5 and6 are modifications of the above principles. The present improvementsare designed to obviate manyinconveniences heretofore existing in thedifferentstirrups commonly in use. From the peculiar construction thetread is turned inward and upward toward the horse.

At the same time the toes are involuntarily pointed toward the horseschest, thereby throwing the heels out and preventing the spurs fromcontinually galling the horse and insuring the proper, safe, andgraceful position on horseback.

A is the cover; B, the lower part of the cover turned inward to form theinside lining of the tread and sides, and also a guard to protect thefoot, both from the weather and from pass- 7 ing too far through thestirrup; O, concave tread of metal or its equivalent, partly inside andpartly outside the cover A; D, the axis,- with three grooves a a a",forming different points of suspension by moving the hub b of the eye dalong the axis D, at'the same time allowing the stationary pin 0 to passalong and through the slot 6 or e in the axis D.

In Fig. 4 the eye (Z is attached to the hub h by the pin on which theeye (Z oscillates, and in this case a slot'is cutinside and lengthwiseof the hub 12, by passing which along the axis D and over point ofsuspension is changed. The bar g in Fig. 4 acts as a guard to preventthefoot from being passed too far through the stirrup.

By placing the hub 12 or b at that-end of the axis. D nearest to thehorse a greater degree of angularity of the tread is obtained thestationary pin f the First. 'In the'inclination of the tread, whichadapts itself to the natural position of the foot, as is bestrepresented by a trooper gathering his horse without stirrupsi Second.In the point of suspension, graduating theinclination of the tread so asto suit the wants of a recruit or the requirements of an easy-servicestirrup for the constant equestrian, the effect being to incline theinner edge or sole of the boot more or less inward and upward toward-thehorse, transferring the area of pressure to the entire sole instead ofpartially, and, as heretofore, upon the ball of the foot while the legwas stretched, or upon the outer edge of the foot when the leg was bentto embre ce the barrel or sides of the. horse, this effect beingproduced as well from an involuntary motion of the rider as frompressure of the feet upon thestinrups.

Third. In the stirrup turning on axe s,,which allow theheels of therider to adjust themselves in reference to the height of the toes, andalso. with its powers of inversion offering all the advantage of apractical safety stirrup in insuring the instant disengagement of thefoot should the rider happen to be thrown.

Fourth. In the peculiar construction of the eye, which with itspartscompose a nearly u-niversal joint, and turning on axes forward andback in lines at right angles to of the horsesside when in use, allow offreer movements for the foot in the proper direction Without deprivingitat the same time of the necessary support, and which, added to theelevation given to the front part of marginal base of the tread,prevents the foot pointing too far forward toward the chest of the horseeither when the foot is being firstinserted or afterward while it isbearing full upon the stirrup. Said efiect being produced by the beinghighest and consequently the point of contact first offered to the foot,which in find ing its bearings must naturally throw the tread, or ratherpress it, toward the rear, .fol-- lowing, by the assistance of the eyeand its .parts, in the directionof a line drawn from little toe toinstep.

Fifth. In the shape or economy of the tread, which being concave adaptsitself to the bend of the foot, altording a bed or hollow, as it were,for the foot, and preventing it from slipping about, as well as in agreat measure from being thrust in too far, and aided by the peculiarsuspension of the stirrup renders it next to impossible that the stirrupcould be lost atany gait, provided the leathers were adjusted to aproper length. In explanation of which it may be observed that in thestirrups now used the leathers have to be either lengthened for astretch of the leg as most 0011- venientinriding atordinary gaits, orelse shortened for a curvature of the limb in adapting it to the rougherones-such as the trot-out? or in jumping--to insure any assistance fromor aid in preserving an equilibrium, or, in fact, to be able to keep thestirrup at all, for the reason that the more the leg was bent or drawnup in embracing the horse the longer,

approximately, the'straps became, which being only adjusted to a reachof the leg, as measured by the arm of the rider, became nearly uselessfor more than one purpose or position. Hence the proficient hasheretofore depended mainly upon the-knees and thighs, which vastlyincreased the fatigue of riding, whereas with these stirrups theleathers being measured for adjustment on the short side, the horse'isgathered in jumping or the leg composed to a convenient length forwalking without depriving the foot of its modicum of supportorpreventing it from keeping the stirrup in either contingency. I

Sixth. In the manner of hanging the stirrup, which. requires no twistingof the straps, but, being. always unmasked, admits of a ready entranceto the foot or recovery of the stirrup by direction of the toes towardthe shoulder or forearm of the horse, causingless friction to the legand wear of the overalls of the soldier, in consequence of the leathersnot coming into contact with'the legs below the knee, except ingathering the horse, the fiat of the straps only touching, the bucklebeing 1 inside and next the horse. 1 each other, but at acute angles tothe plane Seventh. Accidental spurring of the horse jis obviated by thisstirrup keeping the feet nearly parallel to the horses sides and inclin-:ing the toes in, instead of forcing them out, fand when suspended at apoint nearest. the

horse causing such constraint-as ultimatelyto. render this position mostagreeable to the rider.

The more pressure that is-thrown upon the stirrup and the higher thepoint of sus- ,pension used the more positively is the effect V 1produced. front part of the marginal base of the tread Eighth. Thesestirrups are intended to exercise the ankle, as the moulinet with thesaber does the wrist, and to train all riders, whether they are bowed orknocked in the gconformation of theirlegs and knees. physicalconformation of the former offering :le'ss resistance to a secure seatin the saddle v would require a less acute angle of deflection, whereasriders of the latter class of course a. greater degree, in order toovercome the difficulty of bringing their legs inquick enough underemergencies to embrace thebarrel or The sides of the horse.

Ninth. The interlocking of ,feet rendering the trooper liable to beunhorsed by a heavier adversary, or when at speed, as in the charge,

- to the not uncommon casualty of having the foot twisted out if not theleg broken, is in a some a great measure avoided, while the advantagemust be as obvious in the increased facilities oifered for moving"bootto boot in-c'olumn or close masses.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

1; The locating of the point of suspension inside or toward the horsefrom a vertical line which is drawn from near the center of and at rightangles to the tread of the stirrup, substantially as set forth.

2. In making this inclination adjustable by the sliding hub or itsequivalent, so as to suit the difierent circumstances under which it maybe used or the conformation of the user, substantially as described. 73. The peculiar angular construction of the eye and hub combined, andthe manner of their attachment to the body of the stirrup, so as toimpart to the tread of said stirrup an angular position horizontally andalso with reference to the body of the horse, thus allowing an easyentrance. to the foot without twisting the stirrupleather and causing atthe same timethe foot to move in the proper directions, substantially asset forth.

4. Hanging the stirrup upon the horizontal atthe entrance of thestirrup, as

boot, and with the front of said marginal base of the tread higherrelatively than the base and for the "purposes described.

7. The cover of the stirrup, as described, said cover being made of onepiece, the'lower portion being turned inward from the bottom to coverthe tread and lower part of sides, thus forming a guard and protectionfor the foot, substantially as set forth.

R. N. EAGLE.

Witnesses:

OHRLJ. LORIGAN, L. A. ROBERT.-

order to conform to the bend of the footer

